My take on a '59 Strat

[The Dali]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Looking good!

[Got_tone?]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Just got word from MJT and the body is out the door! Should be here in about a week tops.

[Ayrton]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

^Really, I wasn't aware of that. Well, all I have to solder are the pickup leads, jacks, and ground it all. I'll look into finding a soldering iron here, but it'll be a PITA for sure.

Yep, even on the Duncan tips page.

You can order one off Amazon for delivery in SK.

http://www.amazon.com/Stahl-Tools-Variable-Temperature-Soldering/dp/B0029N70WM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1315868130&sr=8-8

[Got_tone?]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

My bank account just got charged from warmoth. I'm thinking the neck is gonna ship soon or it's already out the door.

[AlexR]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Just for interest's sake, why did you go for the neck and body from different suppliers???

I've had products from both, and they do good work, but Warmoth has a paint facility and MJT can age a neck so it matches the look of the body.

Great work on the parts selection - I've got all those pickups and they're incredibly nice, and the Raw vintage springs are a nice addition to any guitar.

[Got_tone?]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

^ Actually, it ended like that by shear fate. I originally wanted to use warmoth's version of orange capri, but they had it discontinued. I never saw any other finish I liked so I put the whole body on hold. I found MJT by luck on ebay. I noticed that they did thin nitro finishes and saw that they offered a transparent orange finish. I asked for a sample pic and was sold when I saw it. As for the neck, I also wanted to go with USACG, but Tommy quoted me a 6 month turn around... not happening. Warmoth was the only choice for all the custom options I went with. I believe MJT uses Musikcraft for necks.

BTW, how are the bodies or necks from MJT? What can I expect? The body should be here tomorrow or by friday the lastes.

[astrozombie]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

I like that orange, ive been thinking about making a guitar in candy tangerine.

[Got_tone?]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Got something in the mail today...



I took crappy pics this time, but I'm too damn tired to care, lol. Matt from MJT, did a great job on the finish, it's gorgeous. The pics really don't do justice to the beauty of the orange. It's much more rich in color. The wood grain on the ash is nothing too flashy, but I don't mind since all attention is focused on the orange finish. The nitro is damn thin too, just like I wanted.

The body is made of 2 pieces of solid swamp ash and it weighs 3 lbs 13 ozs. It's super light. This might be the lightest fender style guitar I've had.


Here's a mock up of what it's going to look like in a couple of weeks or days if I work on it on Friday or Sunday. The neck should hopefully be here before I go out into the field for some training.

[TheLivingDead]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Seeeeeeeeeexy.

[phred]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

MJT uses Allparts necks and Wildwood bodies.

Scott

[JordanM82]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

I love the look of that black pickguard on orange, great looking body and 3 lbs 13 ounces is crazy light I bet it is going to sound fantastic...

[appar111]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Any more pics of the progress? I'd love to see how this beast is turning out!

[ImmortalSix]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

As for the neck, I also wanted to go with USACG, but Tommy quoted me a 6 month turn around

Whaaaat?! Did he mention if this was for all necks, or just for the specific combination of things you wanted?

[ItsaBass]

Re: My take on a '59 Strat

Here the specs so far:
Ash body
Maple/Pau Ferro neck pimped out w/ MOP inlays & cream binding
Seymour Duncan Surfer(s) Neck (6.4k) and Middle rwrp (6.42K)
Seymour Duncan PATB-3 from an 80's kramer wound by MJ (reading unknown, I don't have a meter with me)
Gotoh VSVG Bridge
Gotoh vintage tuners
Raw trem springs
Ivory Tusq string guides
Black Tusq nut
CTS pots
Orange Drop .022
Warmoth B/W/B HSS pickguard

I don't know why Fender calls that a '59 Strat, other than the fact that it has a multi-ply pick guard with fewer than 11 holes. (My real '59 has nine holes, the CS has 8, which Fender also made in '59. They also made some with 10.)

For bodies and necks, try B. Hefner (Edenhaus Guitars) here in L.A. They do outstanding work, and offer three Strat body profiles ('50's, '60's, and '70's). It'll cost you about $800 to $900 for a brand new nitro finished body and neck, and probably another $300 to $400 to add all the hardware and pickups. Expensive, but you get a guitar as good as any Fender Custom Shop guitar, if not better. Plus it is made exactly to your specs.

FWIW, a '59 will 99 percent likely have an alder body. Neck could be all maple for an early '59 or with a slab rosewood board (still with a 7-1/4 in. radius) for later guitars. Also, they came in three-step sunburst, but the middle color fades, leaving you with a tobacco sunburst.

http://edenhaus.com/stratbdy.htm